ave

{{lang|la|Ave}} is likely borrowed with an unspelled /h/ from Punic {{lang|xpu|*ḥawe}} ('live!', {{gcl|2SG}}. {{gcl|IMP}}.) The form might have been influenced by {{lang|la|avē}}, the second-person singular present imperative of {{lang|la|avēre}} (first-person {{lang|la|aveō}}), meaning 'to be well/to fare well'. Indeed, its long vowel also ended up short via iambic shortening; this would explain the reluctance to spell the aspirate, as well as its interpretation as a verb form.

The word has been attested since Plautus.

The Classical Latin pronunciation of {{Lang|la|ave}} is {{IPA|la|ˈaweː|}} ({{respell|AW|way}}). As far back as the first century AD, the greeting in popular use had the form {{Lang|la|have}} (pronounced {{IPA|la|ˈhawɛ|}} or perhaps {{IPA|la|ˈhaβ̞ɛ|}}), with the aspirated initial syllable and the second syllable shortened, for which the most explicit description has been given by Quintilian in his {{lang|la|Institutio Oratoria}}. While {{Lang|la|have}} would be informal in part because it has the non-etymological aspiration, centuries later, any and all aspiration would instead completely disappear from popular speech, becoming an artificial and learned feature.

{{Lang|la|Ave}} in Ecclesiastical Latin is {{IPA|la|ˈave|}}, and in English, it tends to be pronounced {{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɑː|v|eɪ}} {{respell|AH|vay}}.

The term was notably used to greet the Caesar or other authorities. Suetonius recorded that on one occasion, naumachiarii—captives and criminals fated to die fighting during mock naval encounters—addressed Claudius Caesar with the words "{{lang|la|Ave Caesar! Morituri te salutant!}}" ('Hail, Caesar! Those who are about to die salute you!') in an attempt to avoid death.Suetonius, De Vita Caesarum: Divus Claudius, 21.6 The expression is not recorded as being used in Roman times on any other occasion.

The Vulgate version of the Annunciation translates the salute of the angel to Mary, Mother of Jesus as "{{lang|la|ave, gratia plena}}" ('Hail, full of grace').{{cite web | url=http://www.sacredbible.org/studybible/NT-03_Luke.htm | title=Luke - Latin English Study Bible }} The phrase "Hail Mary" ({{lang|la|Ave Maria}}) is a Catholic Marian prayer that has inspired authors of religious music.

Fascist regimes during the 20th century also adopted the greeting. It was also distinctly used during the National Socialist Third Reich in the indirect German translation, {{lang|de|heil}}.

{{Lang|la|Ave}} is not to be confused with Latin {{lang|la|ave}} as the vocative singular of {{lang|la|avus}}, meaning 'grandfather/forebear', or {{lang|la|ave}} as the ablative singular of {{lang|la|avis}} meaning 'bird'.

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant
• Bellamy salute
• Bras d'honneur
• Heil og sæl
• Quenelle (gesture)
• Raised fist
• Roman salute
• Zogist salute

{{div col end}}

{{Reflist}}

Category:Latin words and phrases

Category:Greeting words and phrases